John Clay's Sidelines

SEC links for Sunday:

• Tim Tucker of the AJC reports on Georgia’s supension of two football players.
• Richard Davenport of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports on an Iowa guard transferring to Arkansas.
• In the Birmingham News, Ray Melick wants to know if Daniel Hood’s victim gets a second chance.
• John Adams of the Knoxville News-Sentinel writes that attrition could be good for the Vols.
• In The State, Ron Morris says, when it comes to the NFL, coaches know if players should stay or go.
• Randy Rosetta of The Advocate reports on LSU’s 4-0 win over Florida in SEC baseball.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Georgia suspends two football players’

Rich Brooks with Jim and Mary Anne Brown.

UK sent along this story about superfan Jim Brown’s 90th birthday.Attached photo: Coach Rich Brooks with Jim and Mary Anne Brown

LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky football superfan Jim Brown turned 90 years old recently. Brown’s family held a surprise party for him, and Wildcat Coach Rich Brooks was one of the guests who congratulated the dedicated UK fan on his milestone.

“That was a complete surprise,” Brown said. “I thought we were just going out to dinner. Mary Anne (Brown’s wife) said my children and their spouses would be there and when we arrived there were 90 people, including Coach Brooks! He stopped by on his way to his radio show and was so accommodating.”

Since enrolling as a freshman at UK in 1938, Brown has seen every Wildcat home football game, except for 1944, when he was a member of the “Burma Bridge Busters” in World War II. His streak has reached 409 consecutive games and he has no plans of stopping.

Brown has seen a lot of road games over the years, too. He went to Kentucky’s first bowl game, the Great Lakes Bowl win in Cleveland in 1947, and the Wildcats’ most recent post-season appearance, the victory over East Carolina in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl on Jan. 2.

Brown was one of the 20,200 fans who attended the Blue/White Game last Saturday and is excited about the upcoming season.

“It (the Blue/White Game) was pretty good,” Brown said. “Of course, you never can tell when you’re playing each other and each team knows the other’s plays. I think we have a lot of promise (for the 2009 season).”

Photo by Mark Cornelison.

Big Blue Links for Saturday:

• Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader reports on Patrick Patterson pulling his name out of the NBA draft.
• Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal reports on Patterson’s decision to stay in school.
• Jerry Meyer of Rivals on UK’s recruiting for 2010 under John Calipari. (Hat tip to Spam’s Wildcat Page.)
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger looks at who might stay and who might go for UK basketball.
• Vaught also writes on Matt Pilgrim Patterson.
  
• In A Sea of Blue, Ken Howlett writes that for Patterson the third year is the charm.
• Bluegrass State Basketball hears that UK is still optimistic about John Wall.
• State of the Program hears the same thing on Wall.
• Kentucky Sports Radio on Patterson’s decision.
• Tom Leach reports that Andre Woodson has a revamped throwing motion for the New York Giants.
• Metz Camfield of the Kentucky Kernel reports on Patterson’s choice.
• Straitpinkie thinks UK has hit the jackpot with Patterson staying.
• Inner Circle sees a return to SEC beatdowns.
• Kentuckysports.com has reports on UK men’s and women’s tennis, plus softball.

SEC links for Saturday:

• Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News writes that despite his two rings, Florida’s Urban Meyer could learn a thing or two from Auburn’s Gene Chizik.
• Tony Barnhart of the AJC writes on the Urban Meyer-Auburn issue.
• In the Gainesville Sun, Pat Dooley writes on Phil Mickelson’s round of golf with Tim Tebow.
• Also in the Birmingham News, Ray Melick writes that APR is the biggest game that coaches play.
• Randy Rosetta of The Advocate reports on LSU’s 10-1 trouncing of Florida in baseball.
• David Brandt of the Clarion-Leger reports on Mississippi State baseball’s upset win over Ole Miss.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Should Urban Meyer apologize to Auburn?’

Big Blue Links for Friday:

• Chip Cosby of the Herald-Leader writes on ex-UK quarterback Curtis Pulley, who is in more trouble.
• Cosby reports that UK tight end T.C. Drake has undergone sports hernia surgery.
• David Trimble of the Georgetown News-Graphic blasts Herald-Leader over Calipari’s contract.
• A Sea of Blue adds a few more points to Trimble’s argument.
• Bluegrass State Basketball on those unfounded rumors last night of Patrick Patterson pulling his name out of the draft.
• State of the Program on Patterson.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Debate over John Calipari’s contract’

SEC links for Friday:

• Tony Barnhart of the AJC examines SEC football scheduling.
• Tim Tucker of the AJC reports that Georgia coach Mark Richt won’t say if players who broke rules will be punished.
• Seth Emerson of The State reports that ex-South Carolina basketball coach Dave Odom believes USC grade story is incomplete.
• Maurice Patton of the Tennessean writes that game films give few point-shaving clues in Vandy’s game with Toledo.
• David Brandt of the Clarion-Ledger writes on the Ole Miss pitching staff.

Continue reading ‘SEC links: Examining conference football scheduling’

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports is reporting that Rick Pitino has emerged as a candidate for the vacant Sacramento Kings’ head coaching job.

That might explain some of the rumors going around Louisville today that Pitino was about to resign as U of L’s coach, a rumor refuted by C.L. Brown of the Courier-Journal.

Excerpt from Yahoo:

Pitino has communicated his interest in a possible NBA return to Kings ownership, sources say, and one league official describes the Maloof family as “intrigued.”

It is believed that Pitino intermediaries initiated the contact. No Kings offer is imminent and so far conversations have been exploratory in nature.

Sources caution that there are significant hurdles that need to be cleared before Pitino could become Sacramento’s coach, but say for a variety of reasons Pitino is feeling the pull of the pros again.

Kings co-owner Gavin Maloof denied that the Kings have spoken with Pitino, but several NCAA and NBA sources strongly insist that Pitino has talked by phone with at least one member of the family and has been a major topic of discussion within the organization the past week.

There were rumors during the season that Pitino was interested in the coaching vacancy at Arizona. Given the unflattering headlines made at season’s end thanks to the “extortion” episode, it isn’t shocking that Pitino might be exploring other opportunities. It doesn’t mean that Rick is leaving Louisville, however.

Hat tip to Card Chronicle.

Five-star prospect Will Barton, a shooting guard from the 2010 class, told Inside the Hall his college consideration list is packed.

Among the Baltimore native’s possibilities: Indiana, Arizona, Kentucky, Memphis, Louisville, Villanova, Pittsburgh, Oklahoma, Florida, Tennessee and Maryland.

Some Kentucky blogs had Barton ready to commit to the Cats, but it doesn’t sound like the 6-foot-6 Barton is ready to pull the trigger.

Excerpt:

Despite recent speculation that he is close to making a decision, Barton is taking his time and enjoying the recruiting process.

“It’s crazy. Elite programs are calling. But it’s exciting. I never take it for granted it and I love it,” he said.

Big Blue Links for Thursday:

• Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader reports that John Calipari weighed heavily into Eric Bledsoe’s decision to pick Kentucky.
• Ray Melick of the Birmingham News writes on “Granny’s Baby” choosing Kentucky.
• Jeff Goodman of Fox Sports writes that Calipari is the ultimate salesman.
• At msnbc.com, Mike Miller writes that Calipari’s recruiting skills may be unmatched.
• Jody Demling of the Courier-Journal writes on the Bledsoe commitment.
• Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger writes that Bledsoe’s visit to UK last weekend sealed the deal.
• Jeremy Fowler of the Orlando Sentinel writes that losing Bledsoe continues Florida’s search for a point guard. (Hat tip to Spam’s Wildcat Page.)

Continue reading ‘BBL: Eric Bledsoe signing links’